Engine-starting apparatus



F. H. PRESCOTT ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed July 28, 1924 Aug. a, 1925. 1,595,059

2 Sheets-Sheet J Patented i hu gya UNITED srnres PATENT enrich.

FRANK H. FRESOO'IT, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASEIG-NQH, TO GENERAL MUTURFE (303w PORA'IION, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

ENGINE-STARTING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 28, 1924. Serial No. 728,587.

This invention relates to the type of electrical starting apparatus for internal combustion engines which includes an electricmotor operating a normally demeshed pin ion adapted to mesh with an engine gear. Manual means are employed toshiftthe pinion into engagement with the englne gear and to close the motor'switch. To pro- .vide for registration of. gears to secure meshing, the manual means includes a pedal and a spring connection between the pedal and the pinion so that, in case of tooth abutment arresting the meshing movement of the pinion, the pedal may be moved to close the motor switch. The motor will then rotate the pinion to register it for mesh ng with the engine gear, and the spring which has been stressed by movement of the pedal will be released to move the pinion into mesh with the engine gear.

One of the objects of the invention is to improve the spring connection referred to,

in a manner to enable the apparatus to be made at lower cost. 1

The present invention is susceptible of various applications but is disclosed in connection with a form of enginestarting apparatus described and claimed in the copending application of George WV. Elsey, Serial No. 728,584 filed July 28, 1924.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein preferred embodiments of one form of the present invention. are clearly shown.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings are fragmentary side elevations, partly in section, showing one form of starting apparatus in three positions, respectively,-normal or non-operating position, engine-cranking position, and position for effecting, in case of tooth abutment, preliminary rotation oft-he motor to facilitate gear enmeshment. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views on the lines 5-5 and 66, respectively, of Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of gearing adapted to be used in combination with the present invention.

In the drawings, the engine to be started is r presented'by a flywheel gear 20 adapted the frame 26 supporting a bearing for the left end (not shown) of the shaft 23, and

the housing 27 providing a bearing 28 for the right end of the shaft 23. The hub 29 of pinion 21 is provided with flanges 30 and 31, which define a groove 32 which is e11- gaged by the arms 33 of a bifurcated lever provided with a yoke 34 connecting the arms. The lever arms 33 are pivoted upon a rod 35 supported by brackets 36 extendmg from the housing'27, the rod 35 being retained endwise by its head and by a cotter pin 37.

The mechanism for actuating the lever arms 33, includes a pedal 40 connected by rod 41 with-a lever 42. For returning the pedal 40 to position shown in Fig. 1, there is provided a spring 43 located between the pedal 40 and a cup-shaped member 44, through which the rod 41 passes, said member 44 being supported by the floor 45 of the automobile.

The lever 42 includes arms 46 which are pivoted upon the rod 35 and which are con nected adjacent their lower ends by a stud 47 which provides a pivot for a latch pawl 48 provided with a hook 49 for engaging a latch plate 50 movable relative to the yoke 34 of the levers 33. The yoke 34 is provided with an opening 51 for receiving the extension 52 of latch pawl 48. The lever arms 33 are each provided with an opening 53 for receiving an end of the latch plate 50 and for guiding said plate during its move ments relative to the lever yoke 34.

To the plate 50 are attached spring studs 55, each passing thru a hole 56 provided in the yoke 34 and each provided with a washnormally yleldingly pressed: against a stop 60 provided on shaft 23, by aepring having intermediate loop portions 62 beara-stationary part such as the. field frame 26. "The spring loop 62urges the latch plate 50 against the yoke 34, and the lever arms'33 I urge the flange 30 against the stop 60.

' I The latch paw-l 48 includes an arm 70 pro yidedfwith a hole 71 engaged by the end 72 of a spring 73, secured by a screw 74 to A spring-.85 urges the .the housing27. The motor switch 80 includes a ries within the switch case. a movable icontact adapted to engage stationary contacts,I

one ofwhich lS' COIIIIGCtE- d with 'a terminal 83 and the other of which is connected with the motor field circuits. The switch 80 'is attached' by'a screw.84 tothe field frame 26. plunger .81 .into switch-open-positioln 1* The operation of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6-inc1usive is as follows;

The pedal 40 is depressed to move the lever 42 downwardly and the levers 33 to th normal position.

rig'htpf thefidrawings, motion being transmitted'to levers 33 through the latchjpawl v48,'latch plate: 50 and springs 58. .This

movement of levers'33 eausesthe pinion 21 t'o niove toward the engine'gear 20. If the gearslmesh without tooth. abutment, after the pinion 21 has been introduced into mesh with gear 2( by pedal eperation, the lever end 82 will engagethe, plunger 81 and the motor'switch' will be closed, whereupon the motor. will turnthe shaft 22 insuch direction as to cause the pinion 21 to 'be moved endwi'se against-a stop '90, which is secured to the shaft 231. A thrustwasher {911' isle-- cated between the collar 90 and a plane sur-.

plunger 8l located in the path of movement of the 1 end 82'of lever 42, The plunger 81 carwith the tooth spaces of gear and tooth abutment takes place as shown in Fig. 3,

continued pressure upon the pedal mm jump the pinion 21 into engagement with.

the gear 20.

The pinion 21 is introduced into mesh with the gear 20 by virtue of pressure exerted through or by the springs whether or not t'ooth abutment occurs beforehand. If'tooth engagement has been effected in the manner described, the operation of the motor is used to complete the Y engagement.

. To restore the starter to normal condition 4 shown in Fig. '1, pedal 40 is released to per- "mit the spring 43 to return the lever 42-120 This movement of level 4-2 will cause the latch pawl 48 to return "to theposition shown more clearly. in Fig.

5. 'jection 52 of lever 48 will move over the latch plate and the spring 73 will "cause the hook 49 to re-engage the plate 50.

Referring to Fig. 7, the mechanism shown in Fig.1 for connecting the pedal 40 with the .pinion 21 may be applied to a construc- .-.'tion in which the pinion 21 is connected by straight splines 22 with the shaft 23 and is provided with spiral teeth 21 for engaging aspiralrtooth engine gear 20?. H

,While the forms of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitntes preface provided-by the housing 27. Endwisef feired forms, it is to be understood that movement of the pinion 21 being arrestedby engagementwith the collar 90 and by the c o'lIarQOiengaging the thrust washer-91," rotation of the motor shaft 23 will cause the i the operation .of spring 73, into the posi engine to be cranked through the gears 21 and 20. During the movement of the pinion 21 into fullengagementwith'the gear 20, the 1atcli pawl"48 has been" moved by tionshdwn infFig. 2, 'sothat the pedal 40 is disconnected from the pinion 21. There; fore, when the engine becomes self-operative, the pinion .21 willbe automatically (le meshed from the gear 20 although the: operator has failed to-release the pedal 40; The

dot-anddashlines in Fig.2 shoW- the position of flanges 30 and 31 connected with v the pinion 21 and the levers 33 after the ion 21 has been'demeshed. The spring 61 tends-to maintain the pinion 21. in demeshed position. I

If'the teeth of pinion 21 fail toregi ster otherQfor-ms might be adopted, all coming pithin the scope of the' claims which fol- .What is claimed is. as follows 1. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor includin a motor frame and. gear housing; a pinion tor engaging the gear ofan engineto be started; a motor switch; a: pivot rod supported by the gear housing; a. pinion-shiftinglever pivoted on said rod and extending within the gear housing; 'apedal lever having an arm extending within'said housing and an arm for operating the motor sw1tch;. 1neans losaid edal lever and pinion-shifting lever, inclu f'ng a spring for permitting operation ofth'e pedal to close the switch in-case the pinion teeth'collide Withthe teeth of the "enginegear. 2. Engine starting apparatus coinprisin in comb nation; a pinion for engaging the cated within said housing for connecting" gear of an engine to be started; a motor for driving the pinion; a motor switch; and manually operable means for moving the pinion into engagement with the engine gear and for closing th switch said means including a pedaloperated lever, a pinionshiftinglever coaxial with the pedal lever, a rod attached to the pedal lever and movable through an opening in the pinion lever, a shoulder member on the rod, and a coiled spring surrounding the rod and located between the shoulder member and the pinion lever.

pinion-shifting lever-;'and means f0I"C011-.

necting the levers including a rod connected with the pedal-lever arm and extend ing through an opening in the yoke of the shifting lever, a shoulder memberon the rod, and a coiled spring surrounding-the rod and located between the shoulder mem ber and the pinion-shifting lever.

4. Engine starting apparatus comprising. in combination, a pinion a clapted to move into engagement with and. drive a gear. connected with an engine to be started or to be driven thereby when the engine becomes self-operative; a'motor; drivingconnections between the motor and pinion including'means whereby the pinion can be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine becomes self operative; manually operable means for moving the pinion intoengagement with the engine gear, said means including a pedal, two movable members one connected with the pedal and the other with the pinion, a latch plate yieldingly connected with one member, and a latch for engaging said plate connected with the other member; means for moving the latcl1**out of engagement with the plate after the meshing of gears by the movement of said members; and. means,

operated by the pedal for controlling the motor.

5. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a pinion adapted to move into'engagement with and drive a gear con nected with an engine to be started or to be driven thereby whenthe engine becomes self-operative; a motor; driving connec-' tions between the motor and pinion inchrding means whereby the pinion can be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine becomes self-operative; a pedal operated lever; a pinion shifting lever; a latch plate yieldingly connected with one of the levers; a latch for engaging the plate connected with the other lever; a spring connected'with the latch and normally biased to hold the latch in engagement with the plate, but biased by movement of the pedal to disconnect the latch from the plate after the pinion is meshed with the engine gear; and means operated by the pedal for controlling the'motor.

6. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a pinion adapted to move into engagement with and drive a gear connected with an engine to "be startedo'r to be driven thereby when the engin becomes self-operative; a motor; driving connections between the motor and. pinion including means whereby the pinion can be auto matically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine becomes self-operat1ve; a

pedal operated lever; a pinion shifting lever; a latch jplate spring-connected to the pinion lever; a latch for engaging the plate connected to the pedal lever, a spring con nected with the latch and normally biased tohold the latch in engagement with the plate, but biased by movement of the pedal to disconnect the latch from the plate after the pinion is meshed with the engine gear;

and means operated by the pedal for controlling the motor.

I 7. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a pinion for engaging the gear of an engine to be started; a motor for driving the pinion; a motor switch; and manually-operablemeans for movingthe pinion into engagement. with said engine gear and for closing the switch, said means including a pedal-operated lever; a pinionshifting lever, means for transmitting motion from the pedal lever to the pinionshitting lever comprising a yieldable member and means for detachably connecting the yieldable member with the pedal lever. 8. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; connections be tween the motor and engine including a pinion adapted to engage a gear connected with an engine to be started, and means whereby the pinion may be automatically demeshed from the gear when the engine becomes 1 selfbperative; manually-operable means for mo ving the pinion into engagement with the engine gear, said means including a pedal, two movable members, one connected with the pedal and the other with the pinion, a latch plate yieldingly supported on one of said members, and a latch pawl pivotally supported on, the other of said members and adapted to engage the latch plate; a spring engaging the latch, and normally biased to hold the latch in engagement with the plate, but biased by movement of the pedal, whereby to discern nectthe latch from the plate after the pinion is meshed with the engine gear; and means operated bythe pedal for controlling the motor. e

9.; Engine starting apparatus eoinpr'ising,

"in eo 'nbina tion, a mot0r;connect1ons, be-

tween the moterandengine inhluding a pin:

' ion adapted to engage a gear connected with an engine to "be started, and means whereby the" pinion may be automatically demeshed from the gear when the engine becomes self-operative;'a pedal; coaxially n'iounted levers, the one of wh1c'h is connected" to' the pedal, the ."second :to the .pinion, s aid'second lever including an aperjtilr'ed yoke portion; a latch .plate yieIding- 7 1y supported on the yoke portion of ,the

second'lever'so as to cover a portionof the aperture therein ;"a' latch paw pivotally carried by the first lever and ada ed to extend into the aperture of'the seeo to engage the latch plate; a spring e' gagile ver ing the latch and normally biased' no e direction to hold the latch in engageinent with; the plate, biit adapted to bev biased in I es the opposite direction, by movement of the 'first lever, whereby the latch pawl-hwill be nnlatched from the plate after they-pinion is meshed with the engine gear; and means operated by the pedal for controllingthe motor '10. Engine starting apparatus compris- Ing, 'lIl combination, a motor; connections between the motor and engine including a pinion adapted to engage'a gear connected with an engine to be started, and means whereby, the pinion may be automatically derneshed from the gear when the engine becomes self-operative; a pedal; a'rod supporting levers, the one of which is connected to the pedal, the second being connected to thefp'inion; a latch plate yieldingly supported on one of said levers; a latch pawl pi'votally'supported on the other of said levers, said pawl being adapted to engage with the latch plate; .a spring nori'nally adapted to urge the latch pawl into engagement with the latch plate, but biased to operated y the pedal for eontrolling'the motor. a

In testimony whereof I hereto ailix my signature.

- FRANK H. PRESCOTT, 

